If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

NOTICE: Threads and Posts concerning or involving politics, religion, and postings concerning volatile topics such as climate change or environmentalism are not allowed on this, or any other, portion of the SDC Forums. Such posts will be immediately deleted.

"Promises to be a Solid Investment?"

An unusually nice one of these, to be sure, but if $29,500 for a 273 without air conditioning "Promises to be a Solid Investment," the investor would likely be a good candidate for a couple Brooklyn Bridges...

Hummmmm, so 10-20 years down the road some Gen X, Gen Y, Millennial will be chomping at the bit to pay $60,000+ for a smog belching, gas hogging, rolling pile if steel. I'm thinking – NO. They will likely be paying big bucks for first generation I-Phones, X-Boxes etc. so they too can relive their childhood. The day is not too far off when the bottom will drop out of the collector car market. The Silent Generation and the Baby Boomers will die off and the then current generation will have as much interest in cars as this I-Phone generation has in Ham Radio.

$29,500 seems like a lot to compensate for one's adolescent disappointment.

Looking at the Plymouth reminds me a little of my '55 Belvedere cnvt w/OD, elec. seat, and elec. windows. Red with black side panels and black top. My first V8! It was great fun. If I saw one like it for sale I would have a weak moment!

Some posts cause my thoughts to wander. This one led me to look up the word investment. Not that I didn't think I knew what it meant, but because I began to wonder if I really had a true grasp of the word. Well...there's good and not so good investments. Therefore, I conclude that with the car that is the subject of this thread, it is quite possible it can be a "solid" investment. Most likely, if the seller gets his asking price, a "solid" investment for him. Of course, not knowing his investment in money, time, etc...it could turn out to be a lousy investment.

"The day is not too far off when the bottom will drop out of the collector car market." I agree with wittsend, I think that there will always be a few, that appreciate classic cars, but most will have moved on to the latest, greatest, self driving, maybe even flying, mode of transportation.

I owned two Valiants with 273 V8s. That engine was good in that size car. My sister had an intermediate (B-body) Dodge with the 273 V8. I believe that the engine was inadequate for that car.

Gary, you make some interesting points. I have had many cars with very different engines. One of the most impressive (to me) was an International Travelall with the 401ci V8 engine. Horrible gas mileage, but surprising raw power. In discussing "adequate" vs "inadequate," are we really considering the vehicle, or "driver expectations?" I believe mostly it is the expectations/attitude of the driver. In my youth, I wanted power and speed. Now that I'm older, I value dependability, economy, and safety more than speed and G-force acceleration.

Also, when discussing what's "adequate," we must consider geography. Those living in relatively flat plains areas, or coastal regions (flatlanders) can get by with less acceleration and power than folks living in the mountains, or folks who do a lot of traveling to areas with challenging geography. In my opinion, there have been some vehicles that deserve the inadequate engine description regardless of any other circumstances. Two that I owned come to mind. One was a four-cylinder Pinto station wagon and the other was a 1983 6 cyl Buick Regal. It is one thing for a car to chug around a residential community between home and the grocery store. But when a vehicle is too anemic to safely accelerate & merge into traffic on the interstate...that's inadequate!

I would probably be the guy who would step up to this silly price on such a car if I had unlimited resources. The first car my Dad and I bought together was a Candy Apple Red 67 Belvedere II Silver Streak Special 2HT with the 383 4BBL, black top with Silver Streaks in it. No, this isn't an exact match, and with the 273, it isn't even close performace wise. But, that car is likely the closest I'd ever come to my Dad's car. I'd post the picture of my brother and I behind it my first day of Kindergarten in 1968 if I hadn't dumped Photobucket. Never underestimate the power of the emotional attraction. This car has it for me.

Hummmmm, so 10-20 years down the road some Gen X, Gen Y, Millennial will be chomping at the bit to pay $60,000+ for a smog belching, gas hogging, rolling pile if steel. I'm thinking – NO. They will likely be paying big bucks for first generation I-Phones, X-Boxes etc. so they too can relive their childhood. The day is not too far off when the bottom will drop out of the collector car market. The Silent Generation and the Baby Boomers will die off and the then current generation will have as much interest in cars as this I-Phone generation has in Ham Radio.

I'm not sure I agree completely with your sentiment, but it is true that guys in their 30s are now collecting first-generation video game platforms and cartridges, and have been for a few years. Have you seen the price for a working, mint Intellivision system lately?

But I don't think that all interest in old cars is going to instantly evaporate one day.

[FONT=Verdana][COLOR=#222222]Hummmmm, so 10-20 years down the road some Gen X, Gen Y, Millennial will be chomping at the bit to pay $60,000+ for a smog belching, gas hogging, rolling pile if steel. I'm thinking – NO. They will likely be paying big bucks for first generation I-Phones,

I disagree. Folks whose parents weren't even born at the time are willing to pay big bucks for ancient cars. Try to buy any of the 1930s high dollar cars in fully restored condition. They'll cost more than most houses.

And stuff being cool just because it's old? Nah. I threw an old Marantz amp in the trash along with an IBM Selectric and a stand-alone-fax machine. And I've got at least 35# of Pentax camera gear and Fuji slide film that was all the rage when Simon and Garfunkel were singing "Kodachrome". Now it isn't a decent boat anchor.

But I don't think that all interest in old cars is going to instantly evaporate one day.

Originally Posted by jnormanh

I disagree. Folks whose parents weren't even born at the time are willing to pay big bucks for ancient cars. Try to buy any of the 1930s high dollar cars in fully restored condition. They'll cost more than most houses.

I think my point is being misunderstood. I'm not saying every car will be like the 1929 stock market crash. BUT, it is well noted that the millennial generation has not nearly the interest in cars their fathers and grandfathers had. There will be a glut of cars (they will inherit) and prices will fall. And many a millennial will sell their fathers and grandfathers past to spend on items of their own (millennial) past.